FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 3, 2010
CONTACT: Christopher Moore, Club President
530.713.0914 | president@sacstonewall.org

Press Release: Sacramento Stonewall Applauds Admiral Mike Mullen's Support for ending "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

Sacramento -- The Stonewall Democratic Club of Greater Sacramento applauds the courage of Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, for bravely sharing his personal feelings with Congress that “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is wrong and must come to an end.

“Admiral Mullen showed true courage today,” said Sacramento Stonewall President Christopher Moore. “The Admiral could have simply deferred to the judgment of Congress or the Commander-in-Chief, but instead he chose to lead the way. He set an example for other leaders to follow, from the local level all the way up to President Obama. We must continue to demand that kind of courage and accountability on LGBT issues from our elected officials."

While addressing members of the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday, Admiral Mullen said, "Speaking for myself and myself only, it is my personal belief that allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly would be the right thing to do.” He continued, "No matter how I look at this issue, I cannot escape being troubled by the fact that we have in place a policy which forces young men and women to lie about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens. For me personally, it comes down to integrity -- theirs as individuals and ours as an institution."

Mr. Moore continued, "I have many friends serving in the military that have expressed their personal struggles serving under 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'. I can not imagine the anxiety they feel day to day worrying that their entire career could be gone in a flash simply because someone found out they're gay. This policy can't be ended soon enough."

The six years of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s administration have not treated California well. We have lost our jobs, lost our houses and lost the services that were supposed to protect us and build a stronger state. While Governor Schwarzenegger has read a well-written script about post partisanship and teamwork, he has consistently failed to deliver on these promises – siding time and again with conservative interest groups that do not represent California’s values and proposing quick fix paper solutions instead of doing the hard work and showing the real leadership that is necessary to achieve real progress.

While it is laudable that after years of cutting education budgets and increasing prison populations, the Governor has come to realize this is not a sustainable, wise or just course of action, we need to see actual leadership to reverse the course the Governor has set and to overcome the numerous shortcomings of years one through six of his administration. There are hard decisions that need to be made and important values that need to be protected. To date, Schwarzenegger has not shown the ability or desire to fight for Californians.

As California continues to suffer through over twelve percent unemployment, new evidence has emerged that Arnold Schwarzenegger’s illegal furloughs are delaying the state’s ability to begin stimulus projects to get Californians back to work. “Laura Chick, state inspector general for American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds, said Monday that the California Office of Historic Preservation has a two-month backlog in approving federal stimulus projects, some as small as installing a heating and air conditioning unit,” the Bee reports.

Schwarzenegger has sat idly by as his irresponsible program has delayed or eliminated services to Californians suffering through the worst recession in generations. Will he take action and reverse course on this program that has failed to save California money, now that it is clearly impeding job creation, which he claims is his top priority?

Furloughs have been particularly harmful to the Sacramento region, where the bulk of state workers live. Ninety thousand of our region’s workers have seen their wages cut through furloughs, which has contributed to the housing crisis and local, job producing businesses.

It is time to end this failed program, which has failed to save the state the money Schwarzenegger promised. By every measure, it is bad public policy based on ideology, not evidence, The Governor should know better and California’s people deserve better.

As 2010 gets under way, we would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your loved ones a Happy, Healthy New Year.

2009 was filled with challenges but great progress. We saw the induction of our country’s first African American President, the nomination and confirmation of our first Latina Justice and the election of the first openly lesbian mayor of a major American city. We enjoyed yet another trip to the PCL Championship, an amazing Causeway Classic comeback and the brilliant play of an amazing rookie putting the Kings back on the map. Sadly, we also lost some of our country’s greatest entertainers, a number of fantastic local activists and the Lion of the Senate.

2009 has left us on the verge of the most significant health care reform in our nation’s history and have seen our country’s investment in its economic recovery begin to bear fruit. Despite that, far too many of our neighbors and our fellow Americans remain unemployed, uninsured and at risk of losing their homes. While 2010 saw great progress; it also showed us how far we have left to go.

We approach 2010 with an optimistic resolve and an assured knowledge that if we can come together as a community, a state and a country our best days remain in front of us.
Let us let President Obama’s words of hope and togetherness guide us in 2010. “Instead of giving in to fear and cynicism, let’s renew that timeless American spirit of resolve and confidence and optimism. Instead of succumbing to partisanship and division, let’s summon the unity that this moment demands. Let’s work together, with a seriousness of purpose, to do what must be done to keep our country safe.”

“As we begin this New Year, I cannot imagine a more fitting resolution to guide us -- as a people and as a nation.”